Windshield time: before and after opportunities

All outside salespeople have “windshield time” – the time you spend behind the wheel, or in some form of transportation, going to and from appointments.

Windshield time is a critical time both for the anticipation of the sales call and for the aftermath of the sales call.

REALITY CHECK: How are you taking advantage of that valuable time? Here are the options: Waste it. Invest it. Your choice.

Most salespeople have a habit of doing the same thing when they get in the car. They either listen to their favorite radio station or, perhaps better, they listen to something that they can learn from.

What do you listen to?

What should you listen to?

Be prepared to learn and be inspired. At all times, have that one CD or that one SET of CDs that best resonate with you.

Here are two of my all-time favorites:

1. “The Art of Exceptional Living” by Jim Rohn. (I carried this set of CDs in my car for a decade, and will listen to it again this year.)

2. “The Strangest Secret” by Earl Nightingale. Total inspiration. Listen once a month.

REALTY: Windshield time is your best time to prepare mentally and emotionally before the call and review what happened after the call.

I have 7.5 more ideas that I’d like to share with you about windshield time:

• IDEA 1: On your way to the call, identify the first two or three questions you want to ask your prospect. Voice to text them to yourself. Start the mental preparation for the call. I promise when you generate two or three questions, you will also generate an idea or two.

• IDEA 2: Make slides for each question before you go inside so that you are certain to ask them. My first slide always reads, “Before we get started, I’d like to ask you a couple of questions.” The second you generate the idea, voice to text yourself the content and then make the slide in the lobby when you arrive. (This requires getting there early, not “on time.”)

• IDEA 3: Voice to text as you think of other things. This will both ensure you remember the thoughts and it will clear your mind. I cannot stress enough the importance of zero mental clutter before the sale. Get rid of excess thought, no matter how small, so your focus is 100 percent on the customer and the sale.

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